When Hasan bin Ali (radiAllaahu anhu) gave up the caliphate and sought to reconcile matters with Mu’awiyah (radiAllaahu anhu), al-Husain (radiAllaahu anhu) was greatly troubled and urged his brother to go to war with the people of ash-Sham. in spite of his reluctance, however, once Mu’awiyah assumed the caliphate, al-Husain would frequently visit Mu’awiyah with his brother and he would show them great hospitality and honor in return. 

Following al-Hasan’s death, al-Husain would travel to see Mu’awiyah every year, who would generously present him with kind gestures and treat him with great esteem. He was in the army that invaded al-Qustanteeniyyah (Constantinople) under the commander of Mu’awiyah’s son, Yazeed, in the fifty-first year. 

When Mu’awiyah died in the sixtieth year and allegiance was pledge to Yazeed bin Mu’awiyah. Ibn Abbas and Ibn Umar gave their pledge, Husain did not give his pledge and went to al-Madinah. 

Letters and messages came frequently from al-Iraq inviting al-Husain to go to them. The people of Iraq increasingly urged al-Husain to go to them so that they could pledge their allegiance to him in place of Yazeed bin Mu’awiyah, since they had not yet pledge allegiance to anyone. 

Ibn Umar (radiAllaahu anhu) stated that he was in Makkah when he heard that al-Husain bin Ali had left for al-Iraq and so he went to catch up with him, which he did after having travelled for three whole nights. At that point, he said to him: “where do you want to go?” Carrying some scrolls and letters, al-Husain said: “al-Iraq. These are their scrolls and letters.” So ibn Umar said: “Do not go to them”, but al-Husain refused. Ibn Umar then said: “I will narrate a hadith to you. Once, Jibreel came to the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and made him choose between the world and the hereafter, so he chose the Hereafter and to never return to the world. You are a part of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and, by Allaah no one has ever neglected or resisted you and Allaah has never dissuaded anyone from you (Ahlel Bayt) except for that which was better for you.” Despite having said this, al-Husain still refused to go back. Ibn Umar hugged him and started to cry, saying, “I call on Allaah to protect you from death.”

Ibn Abbas went to see al-Husain and said, “O my paternal cousin! I want to have patience although I cannot endure it, for I certainly fear your death. Verily, the people of al-Iraq are a treacherous nation, therefore do not be deceived by them. Stay in this country until the people of al-Iraq have expelled their enemies, then go to them; or if not, go to Yemen, as they too have a citadel and a nation, and they will not refuse to support you. Keep you distance from the people of al-Iraq, just write to them and let them know of your request, as I believe if you do this then you will get what you want.” Al-Husain answered: “O my cousin! By Allaah, I know that you are a compassionate and sympathetic advisor, however, I am determined to go.”

Jabir bin Abdullah said, “When I spoke to al-Husain, I said to him: ’ fear Allaah and do not allow the people to fight one another, for by Allaah, you will not be commended for what you seek to do’, so he renounced me.”

Amrah bin Abdur-Rahman wrote to al-Husain out of concern for what he intended to do, enjoining him to be obedient and to stick by his community, informing him that if he were to go ahead with this then he would lead to his own destruction She said: “I witnessed that Aisha (radiAllaahu anha) said that she heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) say: ‘Al-Husain will be killed in the land of Babel.” When he read the letter, he said: “My destruction is therefor inevitable and will happen.”

People of Iraq reneged on their covenant and betrayed al-Husain, after which he sought refuge in Karbala. 

Al-Husain then led his companions in offering the salat ul-khawf before they commenced a brutal battle in which al-Husain’s valiant companions went to magnificent lengths to defend him. 

Al-Husain remained alone for a whole day with no one approaching him as no one wanted to be charged with his murder. As al-Husain’s thirst intensified, he desperately tried to obtain some water from the River Euphrates to drink but to no avail. Soon afterwards, a man, supposedly Husain bin Numair, shot an arrow that struck al-Husain in his throat, although it did not kill him. Holding his neck to prevent the blood from gushing out of it, he then raised his bloody hands to the sky and supplicated: “O Allaah! Give them their retribution many times over, kill them wherever they may be and do not leave a single one of them on the earth!” No body stepped forward to execute al-Husain murder and so Shamir ibn Dhul Jawshan shouted: “Proceed! What are you waiting for? Do you want them to kill you and bereave your mothers of their sons?” immediately, his men raced towards al-Husain and began to attack him from all angles. The man who actually stabbed al-Husain with a spear and caused him to fall to the ground was called Sunan bin Anas bin Amr an Nakhai, who then dismounted his horse, slit al-Husain’s throat and pierced him through the head, which he then handed over to Khawali bin Yazeed. On the other hand, some sources indicate that was Shamir bin Dhul, Jawshan himself who murdered al-Husain. 

Seven-two of al-Husain’s companions were killed in the battle and were buried by the people of Al-Ghadirah (a neighboring town of al-Koofah near to Karbala). 

Hasan al-Basrii (rahimahullah) said: “Sixteen other men were killed with al-Husain, all of whom were from his Ahlel Bayt.”

al-Husain’s head was sent with Khawali bin Yazeed al-Asbahi to ibn Ziyad. When al-Husain’s head was brought to Ubaidullah bin Ziyad he started to prod and play with al-Husain’s nose and mouth with a stick and commented on his good looks. So Anas said: ‘By Allaah! indeed, I saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) kiss where you are poking your stick’ which made Ubaidullah feel uneasy” 

Al-Husain’s murder took place on Friday on the day of Ashoora (tenth day of Muharram) in place known as at-tuff in Karbala. 

The shia have exaggerated the events of the day of Ashoora and have accordingly fabricated a great deal of narration based on absurd claims and allegation, none of which can be verified as true.

It later emerged that those who survived after killing him were either afflicted with some disease or turmoil in the world, while the majority of them lost their senses.  

The Rafidah in the state of Banu Buwaih tribe within Baghdad exceeded all bounds by beating and striking themselves out of remorse on the day of ashoora in addition to scattering ashes and straw in the street and marketplace while crying. Many of them even deny themselves water to evoke the state of thirst in which al-Husain died. The women strike their faces with their hands out of lamentation, as they wail and beat their chests while walking barefooted through the marketplace, along with other horrific innovations and practices.

such disastrous practice have been best addressed in a narration by Ali bin Husain, on the authority of his grandfather, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever is stricken with a calamity and when he remembers it says, “Inna lillahi wa Inna ilaihi raji’oon (To Alaah we belong and to Him we shall return’), even though it happened a long time ago, Allaah will record for him a reward like that of the day it befell him.” 

[Bidayah Wan Nihaya]